Aaron Bradbury, the deputy chief of the Nobleboro Fire Department, will once again take over the leadership role after the resignation of Matthew Kilpatrick.
Kilpatrick, who has served as fire chief for almost one year, submitted a resignation letter effective Thursday, Dec. 4 and will work as a volunteer firefighter on the department, Bradbury told the Nobleboro Select Board on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
Bradbury will be sworn in as fire chief at the Nobleboro Select Board meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 3. According to Bradbury, the firefighters in the department have already voted to accept him as the new fire chief.
Bradbury previously held the position on an interim basis from November 2023 to May 2024 after the termination of Fire Chief Richard “Moose” Genthner. Bradbury was succeeded by Kevin Rawley, who served a fire chief for seven months before Kilpatrick was sworn in on Dec. 5, 2024.
In addition to his work as Nobleboro fire chief, Kilpatrick works as a full-time firefighter at the Hartford Fire Station in Augusta and a part-time firefighter for the Clinton Fire Department, according to Bradbury.
Kilpatrick did not respond to a request for comment.
“He’s just not having the time to devote to it that he had in the past,” Bradbury said. “He wants to step down for the good of the department … and that whoever is sitting in the chief seat will have enough time to devote what they need to it.”
Bradbury said the deputy chief position will stay vacant for the time being due to lack of personnel.
“I can’t spare anybody for it right now,” Bradbury said. “I need people who can be interior firefighters, and we’re lacking on that right now, so that’s what we’re trying to build back up to.”
Bradbury told the select board during its meeting he aims to provide a smooth transition.
“You guys shouldn’t notice anything, and things hopefully keep getting smoother and smoother as we go along,” he said.
The next select board meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at the town office. For more information, call 563-8816, go to nobleboro.maine.gov, or call the fire department at 563-2433.
